Deputy minister René Schreier is to be named as interim minister of
culture. His appointment was announced by outgoing department head Antonín
Staněk and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš on Wednesday, Mr. Staněk’s last
day in office.

Mr. Babiš said Mr. Schreier will hold the reins at the ministry until
President Miloš Zeman decides on whether to appoint the Social
Democrats’ nominee Michal Šmarda. The party have threatened to quit the
government if Mr. Zeman rejects their candidate.

Legal expert Jan Kysela told Novinky.cz that the absence of a minister was
in contravention of the constitution and the Competence Act. Though deputy
ministers have taken over at government departments in the past it is still
wrong, Mr. Kysela said.

Social Democrat ministries lacking 20 billion crowns

The Social Democrats cannot support the proposed draft state-budget for
2020, party leader Jan Hamáček told reporters on Wednesday. According to
Mr. Hamáček, the five Social Democrat-led ministries, including the
Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Social Affairs, would fall short of 20
billion crowns.

Mr Hamáček says the proposed state budget would not allow the government
to fulfil its promises, as stated in its policy program. While the Social
Democrats don’t want to increase the proposed 40 billion crown deficit,
they argue that the state budget income is undervalued.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said the budget negotiations, led by Finance
Minister Alena Schillerová, would continue until the end of September

Culture minister announces selection process for National Gallery head

Culture Minister Antonín Staněk has announced a selection process for the
post of the head of Prague’s National Gallery. The new director of the
National Gallery should be appointed by the end of February 2020. Mr
Staněk made the announcement at a press conference on Wednesday, on his
last day in office.

Mr Staněk sacked the head of the National Gallery in Prague, Jiří Fajt,
as well as the head of Olomouc’s Museum of Arts, Michal Soukoup, in
mid-April, accusing them of improper management. The sacking of Mr. Fajt
caused a huge wave of criticism from the domestic art scene, forcing the
minister to step down a month later.

Norwegian rescuers fail to retrieve bodies of two Czech climbers

Rescuers in Norway have so far failed to retrieve the bodies of two Czech
mountaineers who died while climbing the Trollvegen or Troll Wall in the
south-west of the country. The climbers were found at the bottom of the
mountain-side on Monday afternoon after being reported missing earlier in
the day.

The Czechs, both allegedly experienced climbers, set out on their journey
on Thursday last week. The Troll Wall is the tallest vertical rock face in
Europe, measuring 1,100 meters from its base to the summit of its highest
point.

Ziggy Marley to perform in Prague’s Archa Theatre

Jamaican singer Ziggy Marley is set to perform at Prague’s Archa Theatre
on Wednesday evening. The eight-time Grammy award winner and the oldest son
of Bob Marley will perform in Prague for the first time, following up on
his appearance at the Colours of Ostrava music festival last year. The
reggae star will present his latest Grammy-nominated studio album called
Rebellion Rises.

Plzeň knocked out in Champions League qualifiers by Olympiakos

Viktoria Plzeň have been knocked out in the second qualifying round of
football’s Champions League by Olympiakos. After a 0:0 draw in the first
leg in West Bohemia last week Plzeň lost 4:0 away to the Greek side on
Tuesday night.

Coach Pavel Vrba’s charges will now face Antwerp in the second-tier
Europa League. The first leg of their third qualifying round tie takes
place in Belgium on Thursday next week.

Plzeň last season reached the Champions League group stage for the third
time.

Weather

Thursday is expected to be partly cloudy to overcast with occasional
showers. Day-time highs will range between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius.